A Simple Love

Chapter 5

Jen, age 16.

One day, after school, she's walking home when she sees someone with an unfamiliar face up ahead, the woman is dressed formally with a suit and briefcase. Jen's heart starts to race, and she feels like she's frozen in place.

"has she come to take me away?" Jen thought to herself.

Then, the woman turns and looks at her. Jen holds her breath, but then the woman smiles and says, "Hi, I'm Mrs. Johnson. I'm a social worker, and I've been wanting to meet you. Can we talk for a minute?"

Jen is still feeling a little nervous, but she nods and says, "Sure."

Mrs. Johnson starts to tell Jen about the work she does, and how she tries to help kids who have been through difficult things. She tells Jen that she's been following her journey, and she's been impressed by how much she's grown. Jen starts to relax, and she feels like she can finally breathe. Then, Mrs. Johnson asks if Jen would like to come to her office for a few sessions. She explains that it would be a safe place to talk about anything, and she could work through some of the things she's been through. Jen feels a little nervous, but she also feels like it might be good for her. Jen tells Mrs. Johnson, "Thank you for the offer, but I don't think my aunt would be comfortable with me seeing a social worker. She's been really supportive of me, and I don't want to do anything that would upset her."

Mrs. Johnson nods and says, "I understand. I just want you to know that I'm here if you ever need me. I know this has been a difficult journey for you, and I'm here to help if you ever need it."

Jen smiles and says, "Thank you, I appreciate that."

They part ways, and Jen feels like a weight has been lifted of her shoulders. She feels grateful to have someone like Mrs. Johnson in her corner, even if they can't work together directly. Over the next few weeks, Jen feels like she's starting to heal. She still has ups and downs, but she's starting to feel like she's in control of her own life. She's finding her way, and she's grateful for the support she's received. She knows that her past will always be a part of her, but she's learning to move forward. She's realizing that she can create her own future, and she's starting to feel hopeful again.

One day in class, Jen notices a new boy in her class, Larry David, he just transferred to her school. He's on the football team, and he's tall and handsome with golden brown hair and hazel eyes. All the girls in class are swooning over him, but Jen can't help but feel a little curious about him. As the days go by, she starts to notice that he's actually really smart and kind. He's not just a jock - he's a well-rounded person. She finds herself thinking about him more and more, and she wonders if she could ever have a chance with him.

"don't get your hopes up, Jen. you're not as pretty as those cheerleader girls" she says to herself.

Then, one day, they're both working on a project together in class, and they start talking. He asks her about herself, and she finds herself opening up to him. He seems genuinely interested in what she has to say, and she feels like she can be herself around him. He's easy to talk to, and she finds herself laughing with him. As they're working on the project, she feels a spark between them. She's not sure if it's just her imagination, but she can't help but feel hopeful. The more she gets to know him, the more she likes him and always wants to be around him. But she's still nervous - she's not sure if he feels the same way about her. As the days go by, Jen finds herself looking forward to seeing him in class. She's never felt this way about anyone before, and she's not sure what to do. She decides to take a risk and ask him if he'd like to study together after school. He says yes, and they meet up at the library. They spend hours working on their project, and they end up talking about all sorts of things. As they're walking home, Jen feels like she's on cloud nine and doesn't want to return back to earth. She's never felt this way before, and she's not sure what it means.

A few days later, Jen's aunt sees her talking to the boy from school. She seems concerned, and she asks Jen about him. Jen tells her that Larry's just a friend, and that they're working on a project together. But her aunt doesn't seem convinced. She tells Jen that she doesn't want her to get involved with boys, and that she should focus on her studies. Jen feels a little hurt, but she understands where her aunt is coming from. She just wishes her aunt would trust her. As Jen tries to avoid Larry, he starts to notice. He seems confused and a little hurt, and he tries to talk to her. But Jen just keeps walking away. Finally, one day, he catches up to her after school. He asks her why she's been avoiding him, and she just tells him that she's not interested in him. He seems shocked, and he asks her if he did something wrong. She tells him that it's not about him, it's about her. She tells him that she needs to focus on her studies, and that she's not ready to get involved with anyone. Instead of just accepting Jen's answer, Larry asks if they can talk about it. He tells her that he understands that she's focused on her studies, but he just wants to be friends. He says that he's not trying to pressure her into anything, he just wants to get to know her. He tells her that he's not like the other boys, and he just wants to be there for her if she ever needs a friend. Jen is a little surprised by his response, and she starts to soften a little. She asks him why he's so different from the other boys.

Larry said, "The other guys just want to be seen as cool, and they think that means treating girls badly. But that's not who I am. I just want to be a good friend. You're smart and funny and kind, and I want to get to know you better. I'm not trying to pressure you into anything - I just want to be there for you if you ever need someone to talk to."

Jen is taken aback by Larry's response. She's never met anyone like him before, and she starts to feel like maybe she misjudged him.

She doesn't know what to say, so she just says, "Thank you, Larry. That's really sweet of you to say. I'm not used to people being so honest and sincere."

Larry smiles and says, "I'm just trying to be myself. I think it's better to be real with people than to try to be something you're not."

Jen finds herself smiling back, and for the first time, she feels like she can be herself around him. She tells him that she appreciates his honesty, and she thinks he's a really good friend. They talk for a while longer, and then they go their separate ways. Jen can't help but feel a little bit lighter as she walks home. She feels like she's made a real connection with someone aside from Miss Katherine, and it's a feeling she hasn't had in a long time. When she gets home, she can't stop thinking about her conversation with Larry. She feels like maybe she could open up to him, and that maybe he could be someone she could trust. She thinks about what he said - about being real with people - and she starts to feel a little more hopeful about her future. Maybe things could be different for her. Maybe she could have real friends who accept her for who she is.

As Jen and Larry move into their second year of high school, Jen starts to notice a change in Larry's behavior. He seems to be spending more time with other girls, and he seems less interested in being friends with her. Jen starts to feel like she's losing the connection they had. She tries to talk to him about it, but he just brushes her off. It's like he's trying to fit in with the "cool kids" and he doesn't want to be seen with her anymore. Jen feels hurt and confused, and she starts to wonder if she ever really knew the real Larry.

Jen approaches Larry after school one day and says, "I've noticed that you've been acting differently lately, and I'm not sure what to think. Can we talk about it?"

Larry looks annoyed and says, "Why do you have to make such a big deal about everything? I'm just trying to make some new friends."

Jen feels a little taken aback by his response. She says, "I'm not trying to make a big deal out of it, I just want to understand what's going on. Is it because you're trying to fit in with the popular crowd?"

Larry gets defensive and says, "I don't have to explain myself to you. You're not my mom, you're not my boss, you're not my girlfriend - you're just my friend, and friends don't question each other like this. It's not that big of a deal."

Jen feels like she's been slapped in the face by his words. She says, "I thought we were closer than that. I thought we had a connection. But if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'll leave you alone."

She turns and starts to walk away as she feels tears forming in her eyes.